SEREMBAN, Sept 1 (Bernama) -- National squash player Aira Azman dazzled the crowd with an outstanding performance, capturing the 2024 Tuanku Muhriz Trophy with a decisive victory over Hong Kong’s Chan Sin Yuk at the Squash Complex here today.
The 19-year-old player took only 27 minutes to defeat Chan 11-9, 11-9, 11-9 in the final.
Currently ranked 36th in the world, Aira said that today’s victory was also supported by her sister, Aifa Azman, 22, who provided numerous tips and significantly improved her performance.
“Yesterday, I observed her play with my sister, who subsequently provided me with guidance to help me learn from her errors and improve my performance.
“Following my previous defeat to her at the Asian Games, I took valuable lessons from that experience and was thoroughly prepared for today’s match,” she told reporters.
Meanwhile, in the men's category, Abhay Singh of India emerged as the champion after defeating Tze Kwan Lau of Hong Kong 3-1 (7-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-4) in a 41-minute final.
Abhay, ranked 64th in the world, said that today's victory was driven by the right strategy, which involved maintaining a relentless attack and preventing the opponent from controlling the match.
“I am pleased with this victory. The strategy was to maintain a straight, tight, and deep play while minimizing his elaborate attacks. I believe I successfully implemented this approach for the most part, and it proved effective,” he added.
The Tuanku Muhriz Trophy is a Professional Squash Association (PSA) Challenger Tour tournament.
The medals were awarded by Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir as the royal patron the Negeri Sembilan Squash Association (PSNS).
PSNS’s President Tunku Zain Al-'Abidin Tuanku Muhriz also graced the event to witness the final match.
-- BERNAMA
